In the latest case, the insurance director surnamed Chen, who has a HKID card, received a phone call at her Central district office last Friday. A man, claiming to be an officer from the city’s Immigration Department, told Chen she was involved in an criminal case in China.

Chen was later transferred to a second man claiming to be an officer with the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of Shanghai. He demanded a 6.5 million yuan payment to prove her innocence.

The director followed the scammers’ instruction, but then reported it to police the next day. Chen moved from the mainland to Hong Kong in 2011 and lived in the Sorrento luxury apartment residence in Kowloon.

Mainland police were able to retrieve half of the sum, saying that the suspects were unable to withdraw the total sum over the weekend. Yau Tsim Mong District crime unit is investigating.